Cross-chain for antiskid devices.



Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

R 0 m E W F. H. FOX. CROSS CHAIN FOB. ANTISKID DEVICES. APPLICATIONFILED JULY 18, 1910.

FLOYD HENRY FOX, OF NEW YOBK, N. Y.

CROSS-CHAIN FOR ANTISKID DEVICES.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Application filed July 18, 1910. Serial No. 572,563.

To all :whom it concern:

Be it known that I, FLOYD HENRr Fox, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York,

State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCross-- Chains for Antiskid Devices, of which the following is adescription, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart hereof.

My invention relates to improvements in cross chains of-anti-skid chainsfor use on tires of automobiles and other vehicles.

Antiskid chains comprise a series of cross chains made up of links, moreor less adapted to sustain wear, extended across the tread of the tireand held in=place by side chains which extend about the periphery of therim of the wheel. Considerable difliculty has been experienced insecuring cross chains which would stand the very great wear to whichthey are necessarily subjected in use, h 1

It is the object of my present invention to-"provide a construction inwhich wearing or hearing pieces of the requisite hardness to resist wearare secured to links having the requisite toughness and strength toavoid breaking and in which the result desired may be secured at thesmallest possible expense.

With these objec'tsin view my invention consists in the construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of an antiskidchain showing -my invention applied to the. links of the cross chain;Fig. 2 is a side view of the chain shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a crosssectional View of a tire having the cross chain of Figs. 1 and 2 appliedthereto; Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View of a bearing stud and a linkthe parts being shown in position to be united; Fig. 5 is across-sectional view of the parts shown in Fig. 4 after they are securedtogether; Fig. 6 is a plan view of a center link blank before thebearing stud is secured in position; Fig. 7 is a perspective view andFig. 8 is a plan view of a center link. I

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the center link of a cross chaincomprising in addition to the center link side links 2, 2, rings 3., 3,and hooks 4, 4. The hooks 4, 4, at their outer ends engage the links 5,5, of, he side chains. The number of links may be varied to suit thesize of tire to which they are to be applied. The rings 3, 3, and hooks,4, 4, form no-part of my present invention and are merely illustrativeof convenient means for connecting'the linkswith the side chains, andany other means for this purpose may be used.

The center link is formed from a blank shown in Fig. 6 consisting of aplate of metal preferably steel and preferably also steel comparativelylow in carbon so as to possess toughness and strength, having its ends 6adapted to be bent as indicated in dotted lines to form loopsinterlocking with the side links 2, 2. The body portion of the blank hasits side'edges 7, 7, adapted to be rolled inward as hown in dotted linesto form strengthening ribs. At the center of the body portion-a roundhole 8 is punched from the back of the blank so as to leave surroundingthe hole on its inner face an inwardly projecting ring 9.

10 represents the head of the bearing stud of my present.invention. Thehead here shown corresponds in shape and appearance to a hexagonal nutthough it may be a round disk or may be of any other shape desired. Onthe lowerside of the head is formed a frusto-conical projection 11 so arranged as to leave-between its lower end and the lowerend' of the head10, a neck 12. The bearing stud is formed of high carbon steelpreferably tempered, after it is made, to a high degree of hardness. Theround hole 8 punched, as above described, in the blank from'which thecenter link is formed is of such diameter as to just permit the conicalprojection 11 to pass through it.

In assembling the parts the conical projection 11 is inserted throughthe hole 8 until the under surface of the head 10 rests on the upperedge of the ringu9. The bearing stud and blank are then forced togetherby suitable pressure which causes the metal of the ring 9 to be upsetinward into the neckv12 as shown in Fig. 5 thus firmly securing thebearing stud and blank together. The side edges 7 may be rolled inwardeither before or after the bearing stud is secured in position butpreferably not until after it is secured in position. By thus rollingthe side edges inward the edges of the link which comein contactwith'the tire are rounded so that danger of cuttin otherwise completeand after they have been interlocked with the side links 2, 2.

M The side links 2, 2 are preferably also provided with bearing studs 10secured in the same manner-as the 10 of the center link is secured.

The bearing stud being of hard steel notonly resists wear but is adaptedto grip and hold on any surface of pavement or ground.

When the head 10 of the wearing stud is hexagonal asshown, the-inturnededges 7 of the body portion ofthe link bear against the sides of thehead and thus prevent it from turning in the hole 8.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A link for across-chainof an antiskid device for tires comprising a body portion having acircular opening formed therein and a bearing stud secured in saidopening, the side edges of the body portion being .inturned and bearingagainst opposite sides of the bearing stud.

2. A link for a cross chain of an antiskid device for tires comprising abody portion having a circular opening formed therein and a bearing studconsisting of a head having opposite fiat sides and having on its lowerend a projection secured in said opening, the side edges of the bodyportion being inturned and bearing against the opposite flat faces ofthe head of the bearing stud. I

This specification signed and witnessed this 6th day of July A. D. 1910.

FLOYD HENRY FOX.

In the presence of A. M. PARKINS,

R. N. FLINT.

